The instant invention relates generally to continuous foam generating devices, and more specifically to a distribution manifold for foam cleaning or sanitizing to evenly generate and distribute foam at multiple points of use.
It is well known in the prior art to employ foam cleansing and/or sanitizing agents as an effective way to maintain clean, sanitary equipment surfaces in, for example, the food processing, paper, and pharmaceutical industries. Employing foam allows for a thorough yet cost-effective dispersion of the cleansing agents over the surfaces of the equipment to be cleaned. Using foam instead of liquid streams to sanitize and cleanse effectively reduces the waste produced in over-spraying and greatly alleviates the problem of collecting and disposing of excess fluids used in the sanitizing process. However, chemicals that form foam for cleansing applications such as, cationic, anionic, and nonionic surfactants produce foams that are easily broken down making them difficult to distribute properly. It is necessary that the foam maintain a certain consistency and bubble density in order to effectively coat the surfaces of the equipment which is being treated. If the foam becomes too runny or too dry, it will not completely cover or properly cling to the equipment surfaces, therefore not providing adequate cleansing and/or sanitizing of same.
Employing an automatic foam system produces a number of benefits, not the least of which is the reduced need for personnel to distribute and apply cleansing agents to strategic equipment. As well as reducing labor costs, an automatic foam generation and distribution system prevents personnel from possibly being exposed to dangerous chemicals, namely fungicides, bacteriacides, and other caustic agents. Although the benefits are numerous, the major technical problem has been in the transportation of a cleaning foam for multiple distribution, which foam maintains a good quality in the sense of density and content. Therefore, there exists a strong felt yet unfulfilled need for the device according to the instant application which provides a manifold distribution network and foam generating chamber which evenly distributes a consistent, effective foam to multiple distribution points.
The following list of citations represent prior art devices of which applicant is aware that may be germane to the patent process:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issue Date ______________________________________ 3,823,727 Fry July 16, 1974 4,134,741 Elsberad, et al. Jan. 16, 1979 4,394,289 Brown, et al. July 19, 1983 ______________________________________
The patent to Elsberad, et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,134,741, is of interest since the device disclosed addresses the problem of distributing foam over equipment surfaces, more specifically, electronic precipitators. It should be noted that a primary problem pointed out in the above cited patent involves the handling and distribution of cleaning foams, the solution to which involves, in this instance, a complex array of 90.degree. elbow connections and T-connectors to make up a manifold to distribute a high quality foam which is not overly deteriorated in transportation. It can be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 of the instant citation that attempts at multiple point distribution networks have relied upon dividing a single foam outlet conduit 42 into multiple conduits 29a, b, c and d, to distribute the foam therethrough. Applicant's observations and experiments have revealed that attempts at dividing a single foam outlet conduit into more than two subdivided conduits results in foam deterioration and decomposition to such an extent that the quality of the foam eventually emanating from the distribution nozzles or ports is of inadequate quality to accomplish the desired results of properly cleansing equipment surfaces. Furthermore, the distribution network suggested by the instant citation creates an expensive and awkward plumbing network which is essentially eliminated by the device according to the instant application.
In certain technological applications such as those required by the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, paper and food processing industries, an automatic foam sanitizing system may include upwards of 900 individual foam discharge ports. By way of example, in the fruit canning industry, very sophisticated pitters are used to remove seeds from fruit, and a typical automatic foam cleansing apparatus applied to such equipment will require as many as several hundred individual foam discharge points. If a single foam generating device is used to supply the hundreds of individual discharge ports, then a massive plumbing network is required to connect the numerous ports to the source of the foam. In this instance, the quality of the foam deteriorates so radically that it renders this type of system inoperative. Employing applicant's invention, numerous manifold foam generating and distribution chambers are deployed at strategic positions throughout the processing plant so that the foaming agents are frothed into a foam form at a situs proximate to the equipment to be sanitized. This provides the advantage of limiting the asportation requirements of the foam thereby maintaining a high quality and consistency for effective sanitizing. Furthermore, the device according to the instant application provides numerous flexible conduit means to carry the foaming agent in an undisturbed path from the foam generating chamber to the distribution port. No one flexible conduit is divided more than twice, thereby virtually eliminating the problems associated with multiple divisions of an egress conduit.
The remaining citations further delineate the state of the art. However, none of the citations taken singly nor in any conceivable combination would appear to anticipate nor render obvious that which is disclosed herein.